How Is Jasmine Tea Made? Scenting Green Tea With Fresh Blossoms
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Open a bag of good jasmine tea and you will rarely find many flowers in it. That surprises people, because the aroma is so strong. The reason is the method: how is jasmine tea made? Finished tea leaves, usually green tea, are piled together with fresh jasmine buds overnight while the flowers open and release their fragrance. The dry leaves absorb that scent, the spent flowers are removed, and the process may be repeated several times for higher grades.
Here is the craft step by step, from spring tea fields to late-summer jasmine nights, plus how to tell natural scenting from flavoring.
Key takeaways
- Jasmine tea is a scented tea: the base tea absorbs aroma from fresh blossoms, mostly Jasminum sambac.
- The base tea is usually picked in spring and stored until jasmine blooms in summer.
- Buds are picked by day while still closed and combined with the tea in the evening as they open.
- Better grades are scented in several rounds with fresh flowers each time; spent blossoms are mostly removed.
- Fuzhou, in China’s Fujian province, is the historic center of jasmine tea, recognized by the FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in 2014.
In this article
- What jasmine tea actually is
- How is jasmine tea made, step by step
- Grades, rounds and pearls
- Real scenting vs flavoring
- A short history
- How to brew it
- FAQ
What jasmine tea actually is
Jasmine tea is not a separate type of tea plant. It is ordinary tea, from Camellia sinensis, that has been scented with jasmine flowers. Green tea is by far the most common base, but white, oolong and even black teas are also scented. The flower most used is Jasminum sambac, known for its white petals and intense aroma.
Because it starts as green tea, most jasmine tea behaves like green tea in the cup: it contains caffeine and prefers water below boiling. See coffee vs tea caffeine for how it compares with your morning coffee.
How is jasmine tea made, step by step
1. Make and store the base tea (spring)
The tea leaves are harvested in spring, typically April and May, and processed into finished green tea: withered, heated to stop oxidation, shaped and dried. Some producers dry the leaves in a way that leaves them less tightly rolled, giving more surface area to catch the scent later. The tea is then stored for months, waiting.
2. Pick the jasmine buds (summer afternoons)
Jasmine blooms in summer, roughly July to September in the main growing areas. Workers pick the buds during the day, after the dew has dried and while the petals are still closed. Flowers picked right after rain are considered less desirable. The buds are kept until evening, when they naturally begin to open.
3. Combine tea and flowers (evening and night)
As night falls and the buds start to unfurl, they are mixed with the dry tea, either in alternating layers or blended into a pile. As the flowers open, they release fragrance, and the dry, porous leaves absorb it along with some moisture. The pile warms up as the flowers respire, so the tea maker watches the temperature closely: too much heat damages the tea’s flavor.
4. Remove the spent flowers
After several hours, once the blossoms have given up their scent, they are sifted or blown out. Chinese producers generally prefer the finished tea to contain few or no blossoms, which is why a premium jasmine tea can look like plain green tea.
5. Repeat with fresh blossoms
For higher grades, the process is repeated with fresh flowers, sometimes over several days or longer. The first round usually uses the most flowers, with fewer in later rounds. Top grades are scented many times: Wikipedia cites six or seven rounds for grades such as Yin Hao, and the tea company Harney and Sons says some are scented eight or nine times.
6. Dry and finish
Between or after rounds, the tea is dried to remove the moisture absorbed from the flowers, so it stays stable in storage. Then it is sorted, graded and packed. A new season’s jasmine tea typically reaches the market in autumn.
| Stage | Timing | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Base tea harvest and processing | Spring | Tender spring leaves make the best base |
| Storage | Several months | Tea waits for the flowers, not the other way round |
| Bud picking | Summer, daytime | Closed buds still hold their fragrance |
| Scenting | Evening and overnight | Buds open at night and release scent into the tea |
| Flower removal and drying | After each round | Keeps the tea dry and clean in flavor |
| Repeat rounds | Days to weeks for top grades | More rounds build a deeper, longer-lasting aroma |
Grades, rounds and pearls
- Standard jasmine: often made with later-harvest leaves and scented only once or twice. Pleasant, lighter aroma that fades sooner.
- Premium jasmine: spring leaves, multiple scenting rounds, a sweet aroma that carries through several infusions.
- Jasmine pearls (dragon pearls): scented green tea leaves hand-rolled into small balls that unfurl slowly in hot water.
Our Jasmine tea is made in this traditional spirit: hand-picked green tea is set aside until the jasmine blossoms are ready, then the two are paired. The result is medium-bodied, sweet and silky, and it holds up to multiple steepings.
Real scenting vs flavoring
Not all jasmine tea is scented with real flowers. Cheaper versions may be coated or sprayed with jasmine flavoring. Some signs to look for:
- Aroma: natural scenting smells fresh, sweet and floral; an overpowering, perfume-like smell suggests added flavor.
- Ingredients: check for the word flavor or aroma on the label.
- Later infusions: well-scented tea still smells of jasmine in the second and third cup.
- Lots of dried flowers: not proof of quality. Many fine teas have few or none, and some blends add dried petals mainly for looks.
A short history
Jasmine is thought to have reached China during the Han dynasty, and scenting tea with flowers developed over the following centuries. Fuzhou, in Fujian province, became the heart of the craft; during the Song dynasty it earned the nickname of China’s city of jasmine. Production fell during the Second Sino-Japanese War, recovered strongly in the second half of the 20th century and later declined again. In April 2014, the FAO recognized the Fuzhou jasmine and tea culture system as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System.
Jasmine tea is also made in Vietnam and in Okinawa, Japan, where jasmine tea is called sanpin-cha.
How to brew jasmine tea
- Water temperature: about 175°F (80°C). Boiling water can make the green tea base bitter.
- Amount: about 1 teaspoon (2 to 3 g) per 8 to 12 oz (240 to 350 ml) cup.
- Time: 2 to 3 minutes for the first infusion; add 30 seconds or so for each re-steep.
- Re-steep: good jasmine tea gives two or three flavorful infusions from the same leaves.
- Iced: brew double strength and pour over ice, or cold brew overnight in the fridge.
If you like floral teas, our Earl Grey offers a different scented-tea tradition with citrusy bergamot, and our Moroccan Mint pairs green tea with fresh mint. Browse all of them in our tea collection.
Jasmine tea FAQ
Is jasmine tea made from jasmine leaves?
No. It is made from tea leaves scented with jasmine flowers. Jasmine leaves are not used.
Why are there no flowers in my jasmine tea?
Spent blossoms are usually removed after scenting. Few or no flowers is normal for good jasmine tea.
Does jasmine tea have caffeine?
Yes, if it is made with green, white, oolong or black tea, which nearly all jasmine teas are.
How many times is jasmine tea scented?
Standard grades may be scented once or twice; premium grades several times, and top grades six to nine rounds depending on the producer.
Where is the best jasmine tea from?
Fujian province in China, especially around Fuzhou, has the longest reputation, though fine jasmine tea is also made elsewhere in China and in Vietnam.
Sources
- Jasmine tea, Wikipedia.
- From Bud to Cup: Making Jasmine Tea, Harney and Sons.
Facts checked in October 2026.
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